Preparing for 2026 - Aging in Place Roundtable
Happy New Year from all of us at A1DesignBuild!
A1DesignBuild is a designer and builder of homes in Bellingham and Whatcom County, Washington. We specialize in everything from home remodels to complete high-performance home builds, and in December we held a roundtable of people from various walks of life discussing how best to ‘Age in Place’. Read on to learn more.
Staying Home and Staying Happy: Aging in Place, Aging with Grace
The idea of aging in place—staying in the home you love as life changes—is something most of us hope for. It’s about comfort, familiarity, and dignity. But for some of us, that dream becomes harder than it needs to be. Homes built without accessibility in mind, combined with a healthcare system that often reacts to problems instead of preventing them, can turn small challenges into major disruptions.
That’s why a recent roundtable hosted earlier this month at A1DesignBuild was so timely. The roundtable brought together an inspiring mix of people—architects, builders, medical professionals, financial advisors, and neighbors—to talk honestly about what it really takes to make aging in place work. The goal was simple: figure out how we can make this path more accessible, more affordable, and more realistic for everyone. Sounds pretty nice, doesn’t it.
The conversation was grounded by the story of two attendees. Their “forever home” became suddenly difficult to live in after an unexpected mobility challenge. What followed was a stressful scramble: emergency design decisions, mounting medical costs, and five months living in a hotel while a single bathroom was rebuilt for accessibility. Their experience wasn’t about poor planning or bad luck—instead, they generously shared their story to show how quickly a “forever home” can shift from fully supporting daily life to suddenly falling short when needs change.
And they’re far from alone. While nearly 80% of older adults want to remain in their homes, only a small fraction of existing houses (some estimates say as little as 4–10%) have even basic features like a no-step entry. That gap between what people want and what homes actually offer is where thoughtful design, good policy, and community support can make a real difference.
Three Key Challenges—and Real Opportunities
1. Making Homes Work for Every Stage of Life
Most homes are still built for a very narrow slice of life. Features like wider doorways, lever handles, or zero-step entries are often treated as upgrades instead of smart defaults—even though they make daily life easier for everyone, from kids on scooters to adults carrying groceries.
For people living in older homes, retrofits can feel overwhelming or financially out of reach, especially on fixed incomes. The roundtable group agreed we need to do two things at once: making universal design standard in new construction, and creating more affordable, scalable solutions for updating existing homes. A simple ramp or well-placed grab bar can prevent injuries—and the cost of prevention is almost always lower than the cost of recovery.
2. Shifting Healthcare Toward Prevention
Medical professionals at the table shared a common frustration: our insurance system is far better at paying for treatment after something goes wrong than for preventing problems in the first place. Services like proactive home safety assessments by occupational therapists are often not covered, even though they can dramatically reduce the risk of falls and injuries.
The result is a cycle that’s stressful for families and expensive for everyone. A small upfront investment in prevention can help people stay independent longer—and save the healthcare system significant costs down the line. This isn’t just about better homes; it’s about smarter policy.
3. Connecting the Dots Between Existing Resources
One of the most surprising takeaways was how fragmented support systems are. Even professionals who work in this space every day struggle to keep track of available grants, non-profits, volunteer programs, and trusted service providers.
Families in crisis don’t need ten phone numbers—they need one clear place to start. At the same time, local nonprofits are eager for skilled volunteers like carpenters and builders, but often lack visibility. The resources exist; they just aren’t well connected.
A Practical, Community-Driven Action Plan
Our roundtable ended with a shared sense of responsibility across all attendees. Here’s what the group committed to next:
Create a shared digital resource hub
A simple, up-to-date online toolkit that brings together design professionals, healthcare contacts, non-profits, and financial assistance programs—one trusted place families and professionals can turn to.Encourage better building practices
Work with local leaders to promote incentives for universal design in new construction. Small steps—like adding wall blocking for future grab bars—can make a big difference later.Start the conversation earlier
Through public talks, community events, and places like the local Home Show, the goal is to help people understand that planning for accessibility isn’t about giving something up - it’s about staying comfortable and independent longer.
The big takeaway: aging in place doesn’t require perfection, just better awareness. When thoughtful design, preventative healthcare, and connected community resources work together, staying home can remain what it should be - a source of comfort, continuity, and quality of life.
At its best, this important topic of conversation isn’t just about houses. It’s about helping people live well, in the places they love, for as long as possible.
Want to learn more about Aging in Place, Aging with Grace? Then reach out to us or sign up to our newsletter below. Salud!
